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April 2017 Newsletter

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April 2017 Newsletter European Union for Progressive Judaism April 2017 Newsletter © European Union for Progressive Judaism From the Chairman CONNECTIONS 2017 It is finally spring and I hope you Join us in Jerusalem all had a good Pesach. Because of travel plans and the newsletter Register for May 17-20 Biennial deadline I am writing this column Open Event Registration Available during the last days of Passover. Register today - limited space is available It is never inappropriate for us to think about freedom and obviously Pesach is the festival where it comes to the fore as we gather to tell the story of our departure from Egypt and subsequent evolution into a free Miriam Kramer people. We in the 21st century sometimes overlook the uncomfortable fact that despite our own freedoms there are many, in Europe and beyond, who do not have that luxury. The continuing issue with refugees CONNECTIONS 2017 is an international conference and asylum seekers reminds us that we too were in hosted by the World Union for Progressive that position; this is within living memory and I write Judaism (WUPJ). CONNECTIONS offers as the daughter of refugees from Germany who opportunities to learn, explore and engage in the made it to the United Kingdom in the 1930s. diversity of our Progressive Jewish world. This year’s Our own history, stretching back to the tyranny of focus, Milestones & Innovation, honours 200 Pharaoh, compels us to take a sympathetic and years of Progressive Jewish history while exploring positive stance on the current situation around us. innovation in Jewish life and its impact on the future Many of our communities lead by example by of our Jewish peoplehood. opening their hearts and their doors to those who have arrived recently in Europe but there is still more to be done. Tikkun Olam is a sacred task which is about the environment, our fellow human beings and above all freedom. Another aspect of freedom is the right to practise one’s religion in the way one chooses. In some EUPJ countries our congregations are not recognised by More than 300 participants, from over 20 countries, the national government as legitimate expressions of have already signed up for this exciting four-day Judaism. This can lead to a financial disadvantage conference. If you haven't taken a look at our as well as other signs of disrespect. We have been confirmed sessions and presenters, please visit our engaged in legal battles on behalf of our constituents website and register today before registration closes! and in some cases have been successful. Where We will be unable to offer day passes for this has not yet happened we continue to fight. It is CONNECTIONS 2017 with the exception of the my fervent hope that the message of Pesach does opening gala for which separate registration is now not fade with the last mouthful of matzo. open! In the last edition of our newsletter David Pollak Register here for CONNECTIONS 2017 today. revealed the date and place of the next EUPJ conference; in the unlikely case that you missed this information please put Prague and April 26-29 in April 2017 Newsletter Contents your diaries. There are exciting developments and 1-3 EUPJ 9 Germany projects with which EUPJ is involved in that beautiful 4 Austria 10 Italy and historic city and our conference will highlight 5 Belgium 11 France them. 6 Spain 12 France, Sweden And whilst I’m on the subject of conferences I look 7 Spain, Hungary 13-15 UK forward to seeing many of you next month in 8 Switzerland, Poland, 16 WUPJ Jerusalem at Connections 2017. Miriam Kramer Denmark EUPJ Newsletter April 2017 1 EUPJ EUPJ Honorary Officers European Union for Progressive and Staff 2016 Judaism (EUPJ) - 2017 Annual Honorary Life Presidents European Assembly Meeting Leslie Bergman, UK Ruth Cohen, Israel Jeffery Rose, UK President Gordon Smith, UK Vice-Presidents Alex Dembitz, Switzerland Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein, UK Rabbi Dr Walter Homolka, Germany Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris, UK Chairman Miriam Kramer, UK Dear Members of the European Union for Progressive Judaism, Vice-Chairmen We hereby give you notice that the 2017 meeting of the Stéphane Beder, France EUPJ European Assembly will be held at Beit Shmuel, 6 Sonja Guentner, Germany Elihayu Shama Street, Jerusalem, Israel on Friday 19 May Michael Reik, UK 2017 at 11.45 am, being during the Friday lunchtime break at Honorary Secretary the WUPJ 2017 Connections Conference. We hope that a John Cohen, UK delegate from your community will be able to attend and vote Honorary Treasurer at the Assembly meeting. David Pollak, UK The formal Notice and Agenda for the Assembly Meeting Rabbinic Adviser is linked in this announcement, and can be found by Rabbi Ruven Bar-Ephraim, Switzerland clicking here, together with the following documents: EUPJ Rabbinic Assembly 1. the minutes of the last meeting of the European Assembly Rabbi Ruven Bar-Ephraim, Chairman in London in April 2016 (see Item 2 of the Agenda); click here European Beit Din to read. Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein, Chairman 2. the Appointment as Constituent Delegate Form and the Rabbi Dr Jackie Tabick, UK, Convener Form of Proxy (see Note 1 of the Agenda); click here to read. Administrator 3. the proposed Deed of Amendment to the EUPJ Deborah Grabiner, UK Constitution, together with the Explanatory Memorandum and [email protected] Amended Section 7 of the Constitution (see Item 7 of the Newsletter Editor Agenda). click here to read. Arthur Buchman, Denmark Please note that a copy of the 2016 Annual Report of the [email protected] EUPJ will be available on the EUPJ website from May 2017 and that a copy of the Notice and accompanying attachments Assistant Newsletter Editor are available on the EUPJ website. Sarah Sussman, Ireland Please also note that delegates representing all EUPJ Members (both Constituent Members and Associate Synagogues everywhere Members) are entitled and welcome to attend the European Progressive congregations and Shabbat Assembly Meeting, but only delegates from Constituent services can be found nearly Members are entitled to vote on the proposed resolutions. everywhere during your travels. Click on a If you have any matter to raise for consideration at the blue link to find a synagogue near your European Assembly under Item 11 "Any other business", destination: Europe — Worldwide then it would be helpful if you could let me know as soon as possible what it is as this will enable the Officers of EUPJ better to respond to the matter at the meeting. Kind Regards, John Cohen Honorary Secretary – EUPJ EUPJ website update We have been working hard to build and launch a brand new CJL, Communauté Juive Libérale, Paris EUPJ site for the spring of 2017 after being hacked into in September. Now we are delighted to share with you our Please support Micro Site (www.eupj.org) pending the launch of the full (all Friends of bells and whistles) main site in a few months’ time. Progressive Judaism Corrections of fact and comments for the full site may be emailed to Deborah Grabiner at [email protected]. in Israel and Europe. We would love to receive exciting interesting photos relating They support us. to your community for use on the website. Please send these www.fpjie.org.uk to Deborah with a caption too. EUPJ Newsletter April 2017 2 EUPJ European Rabbinical Assembly extremisms, defend minorities in Europe, and develop dialogue between faith and non-faith first Kallah organisations. Three MEPs, who have interest in the Created during the last EUPJ Conference in London same field and in promoting better relationships and in April 2016, the European Union for Progressive a better understanding of Israel came to talk to us. Judaism Rabbinical Assembly (abbreviated as [See below. - Editor] European Rabbinical Assembly or ERA) held its first In the morning, the ERA held its first AGM in the Kallah on March 26 & 27 at Beth Hillel in Brussels at European Parliament. Our aim is to make a the invitation of Rabbi Marc Neiger, and at the Progressive rabbinic voice heard throughout Europe European Parliament. Nearly 20 rabbis from all over and to promote the diversity of Jewish voices. We will Europe came to this gathering. Europe is also hold regular Kallot, and we want to introduce a understood in its large sense, from the Ural support system for European rabbis. As for today, Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. Rabbis from the more than 60 rabbis have joined the ERA, and mem- Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, France, bership grows by the day. Switzerland, Germany and Russia gathered for two The board elected by the AGM is as follows: Rabbi days of study and meeting. Ruven Bar Ephraim, Chair, Rabbi Marc Neiger, Secretary, Rabbi Celia Surget, Treasurer, Rabbi Menno ten Brink, Hon Secretary, and Rabbi René Pfertzel. Rabbi Charley Baginsky will be leading a response taskforce for press releases on current events. Our next Kallah will be held during the 2018 EUPJ Conference in Prague (24-25 April). Rabbi René Pfertzel ERA rabbis visit European Parliament in Brussels Rabbis Marc Neiger and Ruven Bar-Ephraim On Sunday the 26th, we were hosted by Beth Hillel Brussels, and we had study sessions on various topics: Rabbi Reuven Bar-Ephraim from Zürich led a session on eating animals, and how kosher it is. Rabbi Ira Goldberg from Brussels taught us a piece from Talmud (Berkahot 17a-b) on the quality of ERA members at the European Parliament On March 27, a delegation from the European Rabbinical Assembly (ERA) visited the European Parliament in Brussels. ERA represents about 180 European Progressive rabbis.
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